I was referred to Garrett, and he turned out to be the perfect photographer for our family portrait…read moresession. We got back tons of photos very fast, and they were all fantastic. If you are not a model and want outstanding family photos in which everyone has a nice smile, great angle, perfect position and unbelievable background like an awesome wave or rainbow, Garrett is the one for you. I appreciated how he made us and our daughter comfortable and how kind and generous he was. He noticed that we could get sunset photos where it normally doesn't happen, so he took more photos than we were expecting. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Garrett, an amazing photographer and wonderful person.

He did our wedding 4 years ago. Working with him was such a great experience. He is very…read moreprofessional! We highly recommend him!!

We got married in March of 2009 (ages ago) and since moving to the mainland, I realized I misplaced…read moreour wedding cd. A dear friend had passed away recently and I wanted to find pictures of him for a memorial slideshow. I reached out to Kyler and he was able to dig through the archives and help find the pictures! The best customer service and amazing pics. Thank you again!

"We stumbled upon Kai Photo Hawaii in April 2025 and reached out to Kyler on Yelp for our youngest…read moredaughter's graduation photos. His response was lightning fast,and his customer service was top-notch-I've never experienced anything like it!He asked about our preferred location,and when we said no,he recommended a spot that was PERFECT. My daughter loved working with him;he's super professional,friendly,and full of energy! The pics were-we loved them all! We ended up hiring Kyler twice(graduation and her 18th bday party),and we're still obsessed with the results. Kyler and Lance are a dream team-easy to work with and totally professional. We've worked with a bunch of photographers,but Kai-Photo is on another level (and their prices are so reasonable!). I'm still smiling every time I look at the photos-they're just that good! Highly recommended Kai-Photo Hawai'i for your next event or photo shoot. Can't wait to work with them again! Thank you,Kyler and team -job well done! M. Domingo Obana P.S. Love our photo book from July 2025 too!"

Eugene Kam went above and beyond my expectations. He was professional, fun to work with, creative…read moreand made us feel comfortable. I am in love with how my pictures turned out.

Eugene was an amazing photographer, who captured all of our important, happiest and tear-jerking…read moremoments at our Hawaiian elopement. He sees the fine details and small gestures, and made sure to record bride and groom before, during and after the ceremony. I look back on these photos, and I know I will cherish them forever! Eugene has an unmatched talent in controlling the lighting and contrast of the room to produce naturally elegant photos. I was also grateful for his guidance and instruction on different bridal poses that highlighted my best features. I was very impressed with his professionalism and experience. The photos are magazine-worthy and absolutely gorgeous! In addition to photos, Eugene recorded a wedding video to remember our special day. The video included cuts from first look to the ceremony to an after-wedding beach stroll. I absolutely loved that he included a voice layover of my husband and I telling our love story. It was sweet and intimate and everything I could have wanted for our wedding. Eugene is fun and genuine; my husband and I had a blast working with him, and that spontaneity and joy showed through our candid photos and video! His personable skills and talent make any special event stress-free, and I highly recommend his services!

Shannon is amazing. I first met her when she shot one of my best friends from college's wedding…read more(years ago!). I remembered how fantastic she was so I reached out and was thrilled that she was available for our date. She even remembered the wedding! Shannon is always so fun and easy to work with and she was so kind and responsive when a situation arose unexpectedly after (thank again so much for that, Shannon). From the ceremony to the reception- everyone else enjoyed working with her as well...Shannon has such amazing energy - would def hire her again!!

Working with Shannon has been an absolute pleasure. Highly recommend her and would work with her…read moreagain! She was extremely communicative and clear about the work she does and the type of service she would provide and she lived up to our expectations during our engagement shoot and our wedding day. At our engagement shoot, she helped us feel super comfortable on the other side of a camera when we'd only done one other photoshoot before. She gave us great direction and told us to just have fun with it! Her pointers and tips were super helpful and we got some really beautiful shots and some great candid ones. On the day of our wedding, Shannon and Shanel were incredible! Both of them bring such fun, warm energy into the room. They both felt like people I knew for far longer than I actually did. They captured the sentimental, romantic moments and also were so great at capturing the fun moments. Couldn't recommend hiring Shannon more and it's a bonus that you get to support an AAPI, woman owned business!

Long Overdue Praise for Joseph Esser and His Incredible Team…read more This review is long overdue for Joseph Esser and his phenomenal team of photographers and videographers. If you're searching for a wedding photographer and videographer in Hawaii, look no further -- Joseph and his team are truly among the best. From the very beginning, I was impressed by Joseph's professionalism, warmth, and incredible attention to detail. In the months leading up to the wedding, he collaborated closely with my amazing wedding planners, Fred and Kate, to review the timeline and ensure everything was aligned. That preparation paid off -- the entire day ran smoothly and stress-free, allowing me to fully enjoy every moment. Joseph and his team arrived punctually and were ready to capture the magic from start to finish. They didn't just take photos -- they preserved moments. Looking back at the images and videos now, I'm filled with joy reliving those memories with my husband. What truly sets Joseph apart is how much he cares. His energy and positive attitude were infectious -- he had us laughing all day, which naturally translated into joyful, candid photos full of smiles. Beyond his personality, it was his instinct and thoughtfulness that left a lasting impression. For example, during our grand reception entrance, we used a money gun that left fake bills scattered all over the dance floor. Before our first dance began, Joseph got down on his knees and cleared the floor himself -- not something you'd expect from your lead photographer, but it speaks volumes about his commitment to the perfect shot and a smooth experience. Similarly, during the ceremony, when my wedding train and cape needed adjusting, Joseph didn't hesitate or wait for a bridesmaid -- he stepped in and fixed it himself to ensure everything looked flawless. These small, meaningful actions showed just how much he truly cares about his clients and the quality of his work. Joseph and his team worked tirelessly for nine hours, and the final results were nothing short of spectacular. Every guest who's seen our photos and video has commented on how stunning they are. We also opted for a 10-minute wedding highlight video -- and I highly recommend it! The timing of the music, lyrics, and our vows were perfectly matched with the visuals. The attention to detail, from the transitions to even the placement of our names on the Cover page -- Everything was intentional, thoughtful, and beautifully executed. As someone who is very detail-oriented, I was blown away by how aligned Joseph and his team were with my vision. Their passion for what they do shines through in every frame. They don't just document a wedding -- they tell a story. Thank you, Joseph, for being such an integral part of our day and for capturing it so perfectly. You and your team are truly the best -- mahalo from the bottom of our hearts!

TL;DR: Joseph is a wonderful person and a stellar…read morephotographer with an eye for capturing the essence of his couples and the true magic of the day! He and his photo/video team were so much fun, and you won't regret getting a chance to work with them! The Long Story: Our wedding planner recommended Joseph after my now-husband and I told her how photography/videography were among our top priorities for our big day. During our first call with Joseph, we immediately sensed that he'd be a great fit. He was delightful and easy to talk with, and his extensive knowledge, thoroughness, and patience in walking us through our many questions made us realize we'd be in the hands of a true professional. So after reviewing his gorgeous portfolio of wedding photography, we ended up booking a 10 hour photo/video package (which included an engagement shoot and photo booth as add-ons). Our engagement shoot (which we highly recommend doing with Joseph before your wedding day so you can get to know him and get used to being photographed) quickly solidified our opinion of him as both an excellent photographer and an awesome person overall! He woke up bright and early to meet us for sunrise and even went above and beyond by helping me find someone willing to do my hair and makeup at the last minute, which I was incredibly grateful for. The session started out with some rain, but Joseph was super chill and suggested we wait and see what happens. Sure enough, the rain clouds parted, treating us to a gorgeous sunrise. My husband and I are super awkward when it comes to photos, but Joseph made us feel so at ease with his fun, infectious personality and his thoughtful approach to directing us. Funnily enough, this engagement rain experience repeated itself on our wedding day, when a seasonably late Kona low was pouring rain all over the island during the week of the wedding and into the big day itself. Despite the gloom of both the weather and the bummed out bride (aka me), Joseph and his team brought bright, positive vibes from the get-go. They showed incredible care and flexibility given the circumstances and pivoted seamlessly when the weather prevented us from doing our first look at our originally planned location. When we were running ahead of schedule, Joseph and his main videographer, Jimi, even made sure to get extra photos/videos of us in some cool locations nearby. And when the moment of truth came for our actual wedding? Pure magic--no rain for the ceremony and a stunning sunset! Joseph and his team did an incredible job at capturing just how unique that day was, and we're grateful to have had them there by our sides throughout. Thank you, Joseph and team, for capturing such wonderful memories for us! P.S. Check out Joseph's wedding podcast, Unveiling Paradise! We were featured on Episode 69, and in that episode, Joseph does a wonderful job breaking down how photography is handled when weather threatens your big day :)

This was our second time working with Radek for our family photos in Oahu (first in 2019 and again…read morein 2026), and we couldn't be happier with our experience! With four little ones, family photos can definitely be challenging, but Radek was incredibly patient and worked so well with our family. He made the whole experience feel relaxed and enjoyable, and our pictures turned out GREAT! We're so happy with how the photos captured our family, and we will definitely reach out to Radek again the next time we're back in Oahu. Thank you, Radek, for another wonderful family session! Aloha

We had a great experience with Radek at Right Frame Photography. Communication leading up to our…read morephotoshoot was great and we had a lot of fun during it! We are very happy with the final pictures too! Mahalo!

TLDR: Has studio, know which poses / and who for paired. Processing takes a day, and more time for…read moreediting and prints, I am happy with the end results. Nikki was awesome to work with. Sent a project request out for family portraits for us and our elderly grandmother. Out of the 5 in the area, Perfect Portraits was the only one with a studio. They also had quick replies to messages and gave prices upfront. They were easy to understand and had reasonable pricing. I set a date for about two weeks out. Of the questions I asked, you are able to request prints, but they do have digital download available. They go by hour sessions for the session. Photo editing available- they use Evoto. You can pick your favorite 10 for photo editing. Photo session scheduled for 3/26/2026, at their University location- the Varsity building, renamed Hale Kealaula. Right now at the university location, their elevator was down so we had to walk five flights up the stairs. It was a lot of stairs in nice and pretty clothing. [ Please know this is after the two weeks of severe weather. I am not sure if this is was a result of that. ] The day of the photo shoot went well overall. *If you do have an elderly lady that has trouble walking, please let them know because they have two locations for the studio. I recommend arriving a little early and changing there, because they do have changing rooms and mirrors. I met two photographers there: Gail and Nikki. They take as many photos as they can during that hour be prepared with what poses you want what kind of photos you want and don't be afraid to move around. Just tell them to take photos and they will you never know if with infants, what kind of reactions you get in the moment and it might be the cutest thing. I really liked taking pictures with Nikki. Nikki was able to play with our baby while taking the photo and she was able to get the happiest giggles and squeals from my infant son. I think that made taking the photos with so many people so that much easier. They had different platformswood benches so we could sit in different positions and take different type of photos. We also took infant photos after we were done with family poses. I feel like we did make the most of our hour.

My daughter's school chose Perfect Portraits Hawai'i as the official photographer for their senior…read moreportraits. They are conveniently located in town in the Varsity building close to UH. The Varsity building is on the same site of the old Varsity theaters. We scheduled her appointment on a day that I wasn't working, so I could help her with hair/make up styling. Perfect Portraits Hawai'i is located on the fifth floor of the varsity building. There is free parking in the building parking lot. We were warmly greeted on arrival, and they were currently photographing another student in her class. Nikki is the owner of the business and also one of the photographers. There were two photographers present that day. They have a private dressing room where you can change into different looks. You're scheduled for a 15 minute appointment, but I appreciated that they didn't rush us and we were there for 45 minutes. Nikky was very professional as was the other photographer and they took different looks including ones in natural light and with studio lighting. My daughter felt very comfortable working with them, and overall it was a wonderful experience! I am definitely considering coming back to have family portraits done.

We hired Aya for a photo shoot for my mother-in-law's 70th birthday and she was absolutely amazing…read more There were 4 families all together: 11 of us in total, including 2 toddlers and 1 infant, so she had her work cut out for her! DAY OF She came early to scope out the location. She was so patient when a few of us were late. Aya gave us ample opportunity to get as many combinations in. Each family had their own shoot and she found really unique shots for all of us. And she somehow managed to get all 11 of us in a photo looking beautiful. DELIVERY OF PHOTOS Aya was REALLY quick with the delivery of the photos. The whole process of downloading was very easy. We were so happy with the outcome! Thank you Aya!!

From the owner: I have been fortunate throughout my journey as a photographer, being able to work with a variety of…read morepeople from all over the world, capturing their life stages in life. My joy and inspiration come from spending time with clients and seeing their smiles.

UPDATE: got out wedding videos back :) after talking to the owner off the company and his prior…read morebusiness partner who took my videos at the wedding, they were able to send me everything

We got a photography\videography package for our wedding from this vendor it also included a…read moreengagement photoshoot as well. The prices and different options\upgrades of their packages are very competitive and was flexible for our needs and wedding budget. They checked all the "must have" boxes in what I was looking for my wedding Videographer/photographer. Brandan (owner\photographer)  and his team was professional, amazing and easy going, qualities you want your photographer to have on crazy hectic day like your wedding. The photos and videos were amazing (I had to request for few additions but Brandan is quick to resolve and make you happy) I got so many compliments from our wedding guests on our SDE video (Same Day Edit they play a short video of the bride and groom getting ready, ceremony and some special reception moments) that was played during our wedding reception. He is a very busy man so advise to book early if you want him as your photographer for one most special days of your life. Thank you Brandan and team for capturing these wonderful memories.

Wow! What an amazing photographer Kristen is. She is extremely knowledgeable on all the best…read morelocations for sessions and great at directing to get the best angles and poses. She is fun and easy to work with, and so kind to children. Our photos are the best we've ever gotten as a family, we cannot wait to work with her again when we are back in Hawaii.

Kristen cares a lot about her clients! She has been very flexible, and worked hard to make things…read moreperfect. I had her take my professional headshots, and she was both fun to work with and great at her job. I could not ask for anything more from her. 5/5.